The surrender was made possible through the mediation of Kananga Mayor Elmer C. Codilla, who turned over Aligato to Lt. Colonel Roberto S. Capulong, Battalion Commander of the 19th IB, on March 18, 2009.

The soldiers "were executing a mandate from the general prosecutor to arrest chief Mande but his men put up fierce resistance," Jonas Koni said from Kananga, the capital of central province of Kasai-Oriental.